Resilience and vulnerability in individuals with chronic pain and physical disability

Rehabil Psychol, 2016 · DOI: 10.1037/rep0000055 · Published: February 1, 2016

Mental Health Pain Management Disability

Simple Explanation

This study explores how both negative (vulnerability) and positive (resilience) factors influence pain-related outcomes in people with chronic pain and physical disabilities like spinal cord injury, amputation, or multiple sclerosis. Vulnerability factors include things like depressive symptoms and pain catastrophizing, while resilience factors include pain acceptance and positive affect. The study found that both vulnerability and resilience factors are important, but resilience factors have a stronger impact on mental health outcomes compared to physical health outcomes.

Study Duration

Not specified

Participants

N=188, spinal cord injury (N=73), amputation (N=33), or multiple sclerosis (N=82) and chronic pain

Evidence Level

Level 3, cross-sectional study

Key Findings

1
Both resilience and vulnerability factors significantly contribute to pain outcomes.
2
Resilience factors uniquely impact psychosocially focused outcomes (e.g., mental health) above and beyond vulnerability factors.
3
Depressive symptoms are associated with greater pain interference, lower global physical health, and lower global mental health.

Research Summary

The study examined the independent contributions of vulnerability and resilience factors to pain-related outcomes in individuals with chronic pain and physical disabilities. Results indicated that resilience factors made a meaningful contribution to mental health-related outcomes above and beyond vulnerability factors. The study highlights the importance of considering resilience factors in addition to vulnerability factors for individuals with chronic pain.

Practical Implications

Intervention Development

Interventions should focus on enhancing resilience factors (e.g., pain acceptance, positive affect) in addition to addressing vulnerability factors to improve pain management and mental well-being.

Comprehensive Assessment

Clinicians and researchers should assess both vulnerability and resilience factors to gain a more complete understanding of an individual's experience with chronic pain.

Personalized Treatment

Treatment plans should be tailored to address an individual's specific vulnerabilities and build upon their existing strengths and resources.

Study Limitations

1
Cross-sectional design limits the ability to determine causal relationships between variables.
2
The study sample consisted of individuals willing to participate in a behavioral treatment trial, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
3
The study was limited by the available data, which restricted the range of vulnerability and resilience factors that could be examined.

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